Duterte to kin of misencounter victims: Forgive, don’t hold grudges

President Rodrigo Duterte and Sec. Bong Go of the Office of the Special Assistant to the President. RICHARD MADELO / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

PALO, Leyte—President Rodrigo Duterte has asked the families of the policemen slain in a misencounter with the military not to hold grudges against the soldiers and allow the investigations to go on.

President Duterte visited the wake of the slain policemen at the air-conditioned Matapat Hall of Camp Ruperto Kangleon, Eastern Visayas police headquarters based here on Friday.

The President said that being the Commander-in-Chief of both the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police, he was putting it on himself the blame of what he described as a “very tragic incident.”

READ: Duterte on Samar misencounter: The ultimate blame, fault is on me

The President arrived at the wake site at 5:25 p.m. and left the venue by 5:55 p.m.

He was accompanied by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Philippine National Police chief, PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Carlito Galvez, DILG OIC Eduardo Año, Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Lloyd Dino and Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go.

The President paid his respects at each coffin of the six slain policemen. His head was bowed as he conferred each victim the Order of Lapu-Lapu rank of Kalasag award.

He also gave P220,000 in financial assistance to each of the bereaved families.

The President also gave one mobile cellular phone to the family of the slain policemen.

In his speech during the Sangyaw Festival of Lights celebrations, the President said that he asked the families to just allow forgiveness to dominate their feelings as no one wanted the incident to happen.

“Sabi ko sa kanila, kalimutan na lang nila tutal di naman sinasadya. You know, the Murphy’s Law operates, when things go wrong, it will go wrong,” Duterte said in his speech at the Balyuan Ampitheater in Tacloban City.

He also said that if there is to be blamed, it should be him in his capacity as Commander-in-chief.

“And so I said, yung mga pulis, ako yung commander-in-chief, pati na yung mga army, so it is my fault…the ultimate blame is on me,” he said.

These remarks of the President could have an effect on the families as they have appeared to accept the fate of their fallen loved ones.

“What can we do now? We have just to accept it. But it hurt and pain me to have my son killed,” Rosario Mendigo, whose son, PO1 Phil Rey Mendigo, was among the six slain policemen.

Rosario said they plan to bury his 27-year-old son on July 9 at thier hometown in Tanauan, Leyte.

Another grieving mother, Evangeline Noromor, also yielded to the presidential request.

The 55-year-old mother of PO1 Wyndell Noromor said that while it is hard for them to accept his death, the family has to accept it.

“Anyway, he assured us of his help and that there will still investigations,” she said. /jpv